CEBU, Philippines – The number of Cebu City Hall employees who have tested positive for drug use has increased to 52.
Jonah John Rodriguez, head of the City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP), said 10 more workers from six departments were found to be using drugs in recent tests.
The 10 include three workers from the Department of Public Services (DPS), two from the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) or City Council, two from the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), and one each from the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DVMF), Peace and Order Program (POP), and Barangay Health Worker (BHW) group.
“Ang buhat sa COSAP is to give the report to City Legal and then sila na ang magpatawag, and it is stated in our report that all drug test or laboratory results are subject for confirmatory (The job of COSAP to give a report to the City Legal Office and they will call the attention of the workers concerned. As we have stated in our report, all drug test results will be subject for confirmatory test),” Rodriguez said.
The confirmatory test will take 30 days.
Mayor Edgardo Labella has said that City Hall is not a place for drug users and those found positive for using drugs will have to face consequences. Contracts of casual employees will no longer be renewed while regular employees will have to undergo the required process.
“How can you expect an employee to be physically and mentally capable kung naggamit sila og drogas?” the mayor said.
Labella said it is a requirement under the civil service for employees to be alert and stable physically and mentally.
It was Labella who authored an ordinance in 2000 requiring a drug test for those applying for the city government.
“I want that to be implemented strictly, religiously, because how can you expect to run a government institution whose employees are drug users, and worse, drug dealers? It’s a no, a big no,” Labella said.
He said the city is willing to help the employees found positive for drug use and who want to undergo rehabilitation. /JMO (FREEMAN)